Operation Christmas
by Landon Richardson
Summary: It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (Steve x Female Danni OC) - COMPLETED
1. Part One

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua and Adam 'Toast' Charles do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, David Williams, Libby Williams, Ryan Moore, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **Operation Christmas**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of** **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part one

* * *

"I really like it Mamma. It's the best tree we've done by far."

Danni Williams smiled softly, turning her attention away from the brightly lit Christmas tree in front of her to look at her seven year old daughter Grace fondly. The small girl looked a mess, her normally long, perfect hair scrunched up with strands flying out everywhere, some were sticking to her neck and her rosy cheeks while a smudge of something dark was streaked across her nose.

"I think you might be right Gracie, we've outdone ourselves with it this year." Danni agreed with a nod, reaching out and wrapping her arm around Grace's slim shoulders, pulling her into her side and giving her a hug, She glanced round the rest of the room at the other decorations and gave a satisfied nod, the room certainly looked festive as did the other rooms in the house and the outside of it as well.

"Do you think everyone will like it?" Grace asked, tilting her head back and giving Danni a worried look, the expression causing Danni's heart to twist in her chest.

"Hey, they would have to be mad not to like it" Danni assured the young girl, turning them on the spot before guiding Grace out of the living room and into their large kitchen. "Are you going to help me cook?" She asked, her eyes flickering towards the large fridge which was jam packed with food for the Christmas Eve meal they were throwing.

"Yeah mamma" Grace confirmed with a smile which faded away slightly.

"What's wrong?" Danni asked, waiting patiently for Grace to answer. The small girl remained silent for a moment before she spoke.

"I'm worried about Uncle Steve Mamma" She admitted, the remark making Danni's eyebrow rise at the mention of her partner Steve McGarrett.

"Worried about him? Why honey, I spoke to him yesterday and he was fine. You'll be able to see him later on at the meal, he's already said he's coming to it." Danni said, hunching down slightly so she was face to face with her daughter.

"I know but what about the rest of the day?" Grace demanded. "It's Christmas Eve and Uncle Steve is going to be all alone in his house all day. He's going to be lonely and no one should be lonely on Christmas Eve Mamma." She said, sounding upset.

Danni blinked at her, her mind drifting back on the conversations they had shared as a team over the past few about the upcoming holiday. Everyone had been full of plans though they had all quickly agreed to Danni's suggestion of having a second Christmas meal at hers on Christmas Eve. The others had filled her in on the plans they had with their friends and family but now that she thought about it Steve had remained quiet, a smile on his face which had almost looked sad.

She thought about Steve being alone in the house on Christmas Eve where his father had died or worst spending Christmas day there, by himself and shook her head.

There was no way in hell she would allow Steve to stay by himself at this time of the year, not while she was still breathing.

She glanced down at her watch before she looked back at Grace who was watching her with a hopefully expression on her face.

"Gracie, how do you feel about kidnapping Uncle Steve over the Christmas period? We can call it Operation Kidnap Uncle Steve and show him what's he's missing" She asked her daughter who grinned at her.

"Yeah Mamma! We can make sure he has the best Christmas ever" Grace said with a nod at Danni who returned it.

"That we can, go and get your shoes on baby and clean your face while Mamma comes up with a plan." Danni instructed. Grace turned and headed towards the door, suddenly stopping and turning to Danni again.

"We can't call it Operation Kidnap Uncle Steve and show him what's he's missing, that's too long though Mamma" Grace told her thoughtfully, crossing her arms over her chest, her fingertip gripping her lower lip and pulling at it in a way which Danni knew Grace had learnt from her.

"No?" Danni remarked lightly. "In that case what do you think we should call it?"

Grace remained silent for a moment before she looked up and grinned.

"Operation Christmas" She stated brightly.

"Operation Christmas" Danni repeated, pretending to muse over the suggestion before she grinned at Grace. "Well I like it, Operation Christmas it is then! Go and get your shoes on and we'll go and do it now!" She remarked, clapping her hands together, laughing when Grace immediately turned and ran from the room.

Operation Christmas was a go.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part two will be up tomorrow!**


	2. Part Two

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua and Adam 'Toast' Charles do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, David Williams, Libby Williams, Ryan Moore, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **Stage One.**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of** **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part Two

* * *

Danni pulled to a stop outside of Steve's house and killed the engine, taking a moment to look at the building in front of her before her eyes landed on the blue Silverado in the driveway which indicated that Steve was at home just like she and Grace had suspected he would be.

"How are we going to do this Mamma? We need to have a good plan for Stage one" Grace asked from the passenger seat, attracting Danni's attention to her.

"Stage one?" Danni questioned, raising an eyebrow at the small brunette who nodded at her, reaching up with her hand and tucking a stray piece of dark hair which had escaped her ponytail behind her ear.

"Stage one is kidnapping Uncle Steve Mamma" She explained seriously. "Stage two is making him stay with us until at least New Year Day, we don't want him to be lonely over this holiday Mamma, especially since his Daddy is gone." She said. Danni nodded at her daughter.

"Mamma has a plan for stage one baby" She reassured the small girl who looked relieved at the comment. "All you need to do is ask Uncle Steve if you can use his toilet when we're inside, leave everything else to me." Danni commented, smiling when Grace nodded seriously at her. She glanced back towards the house before reaching out and placing her hand on the door handle. "Ready?" She asked her daughter, nodding when Grace made a sound of affirmation at the back of her throat before she spoke.

"Ready Mamma"

"Then let's get this show on the road Gracie" Danni responded as she reached down with her free hand and unlocked her seatbelt, using the other hand to open the door up. She stepped out of the car, her eyes immediately tracking her daughter over the top of the car to make sure she was safe from any passing traffic. The minute Grace was by her side, she wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her up the garden path which led to Steve's front door.

Reaching up she knocked smartly on the door, giving Grace a reassuring smile when the small girl looked up at her before she focused her attention on the door listening carefully. She was awarded moments later when she heard the sound of muffled footsteps approaching followed by the door opening. She couldn't help the grin which came to her face when she saw Steve's passive expression melt into a look of surprise as his blue eyes flickered over her and Grace.

"Danni" He remarked, a startled tone to his voice. "Is everything okay? Why are you and Gracie here? Shouldn't you be at home getting ready for tonight?"

"Aren't you going to invite us in Uncle Steve" Grace asked before Danni could answer him, a polite tone to her voice which Steve instantly reacted to as he stepped to one side, using his free arm to wave them in.

"Yeah of course, Come in" He stated, his eyes fixed on Danni's face. Danni stepped into the hallway, glancing towards Grace when she spoke again.

"Uncle Steve may I use your bathroom please?" She asked hopefully.

"Course you can Gracie, you know where it is" He responded, watching her until she was out of sight before he turned his attention back to Danni. "Danni what's up? Has something happened?" He asked, concern lacing his voice as he reached out, placing his hand on her shoulder and squeezing down lightly on it.

"Nothing's the matter, not really" Danni replied on a sigh, looking away from him for a moment before she looked back at him, making her eyes wide.

"It doesn't sound like it's nothing" He said, keeping his gaze on her.

"It sounds ridiculous but…" She paused for a moment before she continued. "I was wondering whether if you had nothing to do you could help me get ready for today. There's so much food prep to do and I can't do it alone, or rather I can but if I do then it means that Grace would be by herself and I want to make sure that she isn't. It's the first Christmas she's had away from all her family so I want to make it extra special for her."

Steve stared at her for a moment before he glanced back towards the stairs which Grace had disappeared up, a thoughtful frown on his face before he looked back at her and nodded.

"Of course I'll help you Danni, it's not like I was doing much here anyway. Do you want me to come now?" He asked, dropping his hand from her shoulder and reaching out for the boots which he kept by the front door.

"Now would be great. You could come back with us in my car, it would save time for us all." She said, holding her keys up and giving them a slight shake. She made sure he saw her roll her eyes when he took the bait and instantly reached out and grabbed them from her.

"I'll drive" He told her, an amused gleam coming to his eyes.

"Why am I not surprised by that fact" She responded, crossing her arms over her chest and giving him a pointed look. She used the time that he was pulling his boots on to look around the living room, her heart aching when she saw how little Christmas decorations were around. It was as though Steve had attempted to decorate the house before he had given up half way through.

"You going to need help with the cooking?" Steve asked as he stood up straight attracting her attention again.

"Not from you" She responded with a slight laugh. "But I will need help prepping everything and we both know how handy you are with a knife. You're quicker than I'll be and time is of the essence today." She admitted, looking towards the stairs as Grace came down them. The small girl shot her a questioning look which turned into a large grin when Danni gave her a single nod. "We should get going, we've got a lot to do" She remarked, turning and opening the door and stepping through. She headed down the path, unsurprised when Grace immediately came to her side.

"Was Stage one a success Mamma?" Grace questioned, her voice barely audible.

"Yes it was Gracie bean" She said before she placed her fingers against her mouth to indicate that they should keep quiet in case he overheard them.

She glanced thoughtfully towards Steve as he came to a stop next to them, flashing them both a large grin as he unlocked the car, pulling open the driver's seat and climbing in as Danni made her way round the car to the passenger seat while Grace dived into the back.

Stage one of the plan had been a complete success.

Now all they had to do was figure out a way to make stage two equally as successful. Something which she already knew wasn't going to be easy.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part two will be up tomorrow!**


	3. Part Three

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles, Meka Hanamoa, Amy Hanamoa and Billy Hanamoa do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, Ryan Moore, Lily Nichols, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **In the kitchen**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part Three

* * *

"So how exactly do you want to do this Danni, have you got a plan to make this run smoothly or are we just going to dive in and hope for the best?" Steve asked as he pulled the Camaro into their road, his blue eyes flickering away from the road briefly to give her a questioning look before he focused again.

Steve's driving always improved beyond imagination when he had Grace in the car keeping to both the speed limit of the road and stopping at lights which Danni knew from first-hand experience that he would normally have raced through. It was something which Danni was always extremely thankful for and just another thing in the complex makeup which made up Steve McGarrett which left her more than a little fascinated by him though she was determined to keep that small part of knowledge to herself for the foreseeable future.

If Steve knew that she found him fascinating then she would never hear the end of it.

"When have you ever known me not to have at least four plans for any given situation?" She remarked mildly, smiling in the mirror at her daughter when the small girl laughed from the back seat.

"We've got this Uncle Steve, you just need to listen to Mamma when she tells you something." Grace added, a stern tone coming to her voice which clearly startled Steve if the wide eyed look he shot Danni was any indication for her to go by. Clearly this was the first time that her partner had experienced her daughter's bossy streak or, as her friend Meka Hanamoa liked to refer to it as, her dictator streak learnt directly from her mother.

"It's easier if you just say yes and go with the flow" Danni instructed him, her voice barely above a murmur so Grace wouldn't hear what she said.

"I'll keep that in mind" Steve responded as he pulled the car into Danni's driveway. Danni smiled, reaching out when his hands dropped from the wheel and patted his forearm, shooting him a smile before she pushed the door open and stepped out of the car, her gaze flickering to the watch on her wrist which told her that if she didn't start cooking soon then dinner would be late.

She moved to the car, pulling her keys out of her bag and unlocked the front door, kicking off her shoes and quickly disarming the alarm system. She glanced over her shoulder as she threw the keys on the side table and headed straight to the kitchen, content that Steve would keep an eye on Grace and that Grace would keep an equally close eye on Steve. For two people who had had such a rocky start together when they first met they were certainly close now.

Danni headed straight to the sink, washing her hands and drying them before she flicked the small CD player on which she kept in the kitchen, smiling when a Christmas song immediately came on. She and Grace might have had to spend Christmas away from her family who had gathered as usual in New Jersey but she was determined to keep as many of the traditions she had grown up with safe and in use.

She had been working at peeling the potatoes for the roast potatoes when she heard Steve speak from just behind her.

"You've certainly gone all out with the decorations Danni" Steve commented.

"Grace given you the tour of the place then?" She asked him, glancing over her shoulder at him in time to see him nod at her.

"Every single room in the house, including your bathroom" He said with a nod, an undercurrent of what sounded like bemusement to his voice. She laughed slightly, shaking her head as she dropped another finished potato into the bowl of clean water and picked up the next one to be peeled.

"What can I say? Christmas is a major deal in this household, it always has been and I can promise you that it always will be. Grace and I love it." She explained with a slight shrug, glancing towards him when he leaned up against the counter top beside her, crossing his arms over his chest as he twisting his head to the side so he could watch her work.

"I never would have guessed" He remarked dryly, his mouth curling upwards into a soft smile which she rarely saw.

"Where's Grace now?" She asked curiously, surprised that the small girl hadn't bounded into the room determined to show Steve something else which she might have forgotten the first time round.

"Last time I checked she was in the living room, packing her toys away for this evening though she's keeping one of two out for Poppy, Bella and Billy" Steve said. "How many people are coming tonight? I thought it was just the team?"

"The team will be there" Danni assured him, dropping another potato into the bowl as she spoke. "Some of CSU will be there, some of the medical examiners, Duncan will be there, Amy and Meka with their son Billy, Lily from dispatch will be there. It's going to be crowded but that's what Christmas Eve is for." Danni said with a shrug.

"Wait Duncan will be here? Duncan as in your ex and Gracie's dad?" Steve demanded, all laziness to his frame gone as he stood up straight.

"I only know the one Duncan" Danni responded mildly, shooting him a quick look. "He's harmless Steve and Grace wants him here tonight because he'll be by himself. I told you that I wanted her to be happy here and that will make her happy. You never know, you may actually find yourself liking him. He's a good guy regardless of the fact our marriage didn't work out." She told him softly.

"I doubt it" He responded darkly before speaking again. "So, I'm guessing if you've invited half the island here tonight then you weren't kidding when you said you needed help." He told her, reaching into his pocket and fishing out his cell phone. She watched with a slight frown when he pressed down on a button and brought the handset to his ear.

"What are you doing?" she asked him curiously, rolling her eyes when he held up his hand at her, clearly telling her without words to be quiet.

"Chin? It's McGarrett. I'm just at Danni's and it seems that she's bitten off more than she could chew just like we thought. Call the others and tell them that Operation Save her from herself is activated. Cheers, see you soon." He remarked before he ended the call, and looked at her.

Danni placed the peeler on the side and turned round shooting Steve an unimpressed look.

"Operation Save her from herself?" She repeated, rolling her eyes when Steve nodded.

"I had a feeling that your generous nature would mean that you would be overrun with too much to do so I came up with a backup plan just in case. I've been waiting for you to contact me all day to ask me for help though I must admit I didn't expect you to actually drive over to pick me up yourself I thought you would just call me on my cell." He admitted with a shrug.

"So who is coming to help exactly?" Danni asked, torn between hitting Steve in the arm for being annoying and throwing her arms around him and giving him a hug for being surprisingly thoughtful.

"Just a few people" He said vaguely before he took a step away from her. "You stay here and carry on doing what you're doing. I'll go and wash my hands and check on Grace to see if she's okay than when I get back you can live out a dream by bossing me around and telling me what to do." He said, grinning and dodging the strand of potato skin she threw at him.

She shook her head as he left the room and focused back on her task for a moment before she turned and headed towards the fridge, opening it up and pulling out one of the several bottles of Longboards she had stored in there for Steve.

It was time to put stage two into action.

One small step at a time.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part four will be up tomorrow!**


	4. Part Four

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles, Meka Hanamoa, Amy Hanamoa and Billy Hanamoa do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, Ryan Moore, Lily Nichols, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **A talk between friends**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part four

* * *

"So tell me Danni, are you planning on getting the boss man drunk tonight or something because from what I'm seeing, you're certainly going the right way about it. I would say he's about two beers away from being extremely merry and let me tell you, it's a disconcerting sight."

Danni smiled slightly as she glanced at the door towards the sound of Kono Kalakaua familiar voice. The younger woman was leaning against the door frame, her arms crossed over her chest as she gave Danni a knowing look.

"What makes you think I have anything to do with what's going on out there? I've been in here nearly the whole afternoon cooking for everyone. Steve's been the one out there doing the hosting duties for me, if he's getting drunk then that is completely on him and nothing to do with me." Danni remarked, keeping her voice innocent as she raised a questioning eyebrow at the other woman, a grin coming to her face when Kono snorted at her as she straightened and moved towards Danni stopping beside her.

"Who do you think you're trying to fool missy, I know the way you work and you always have a plan for everything and something about this situation has your stamp all over it. You've proper stocked up on the alcoholic drinks which you know Steve drinks. He's gone well beyond the stage of being able to drive himself home already Danni" Kono pointed out to Danni who shrugged at her, turning her attention back to the sauce which she was stirring.

"He wasn't going to be able to drive himself home anyway Kono, you sort of need to have a vehicle with you to do that and he doesn't." She pointed out, glancing at Kono from the corner of her eyes when Kono made a knowing sound at the back of her throat.

"That's right, boss man did say something about you and Grace coming to his house earlier on and picking him up in your car." She remarked. "Does that mean that you're going to take him home later on?"

Danni shook her head waving her hand towards her half-drunk glass of red wine.

"I would but I've been drinking most of the afternoon hon. I completely forgot that I was meant to be the one taking Steve home tonight. He'll just have to camp out in the spare room here tonight and I'll take him home some time on the 26th. Luckily the bed is already made up so it won't be a problem" She said on a sigh.

Kono stared at her for a moment before she laughed softly.

"Oh you're good Danni" Kono stated. "If I didn't know better than I would have so been taken in by that but this is you and there is no way in hell that you would forget that you were driving someone home especially if that person was Steve. The fact that you've been drinking and that you picked Steve up means that you've planned for Steve to stay with you tonight. Am I right?" She demanded.

Danni turned and shot the other woman a long searching look, considering lying to her for a moment before she decided to go with the truth. She smiled widely at her.

"Okay, I admit it you've got me, maybe there's a plan afoot at the moment." She admitted before she gave Kono a proud look. "Your skills at reading people Kono have come on leaps and bounds. I'm glad because that's a really good skill to have." Danni remarked, reaching out and patting Kono on the arm.

"Well I am learning from the best Danni" Kono countered with a pointed look at the blonde woman. "Are you going to tell me what's going on or am I meant to keep guessing?" She asked.

Danni held up her finger at Kono for a moment before she moved passed her, heading to the door and closed it softly, blocking out the sound of laughter and conversation from the other rooms before she headed back to Kono who was watching her with a questioning look.

"Fine, Grace and I were worried about Steve spending the Christmas period by himself in that house. He would be completely alone for Christmas day so we decided that we would kidnap him and refuse to let him leave once he was here. That's why I picked him up because we didn't want him to be able to escape in his own truck. No one should be alone at this time of year, especially Steve. It's his first Christmas back in Hawaii since he was fifteen and we want to make sure he enjoys it." Danni explained.

"That makes sense" Kono said with a nod. "Boss man does deserve a good Christmas and he'll certainly have one here with you and Gracie. Why didn't you just ask him if he wanted to come though rather than go through all of this to get him to stay? I mean this is Steve, if you asked then he would happily have stayed with you." Kono pointed out, looking startled when Danni shook her head.

"I did ask him Kono about three weeks ago. I asked what he was doing and then told him that he should come and spend Christmas with Grace and I and he refused." Danni told her, a reluctant smile coming to her face when Kono's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"He refused?" She repeated "Steve McGarrett refused you something?"

"Steve McGarrett often refuses me things" Danni countered, rolling her eyes at the disbelieving look that Kono shot her. "Anyway he refused because he didn't want to get in the way of mine and Grace's Christmas. He wouldn't listen to anything I said about it so I dropped the subject and decided to have a Christmas Eve meal for everyone so he would at least have one evening with people."

"So what changed and made you decide to kidnap him?" Kono asked. Danni shrugged as she picked up her wine glass and took a long sip of it.

"Grace was worried about Steve being alone so we came up with Operation Christmas previously known as Operation kidnap Steve and make him stay."

"Well we can't have Grace being upset now can we" Kono said. "How can I help with Operation Christmas?"

"You could help by making sure that no one else offers Steve a lift home, if no one takes him home then he'll have to stay." Danni said to Kono who nodded at her.

"I think I can manage that easily enough" She said with a smile. "How long until dinner time anyway because everyone is pretty much here now and they are getting hungry because this smells so good Danni." She complimented.

"Thanks" Danni said happily. "It should be another fifteen minutes now, I'm just finishing the last bits now."

"Okay, I'll inform the hungry mob of that before they start rioting" Kono said as she turned and headed to the door and opening it.

"Kono" Danni called after her. "Was that why you came in, to ask about dinner and Steve?" She queried, her eyes widening when Kono shook her head.

"Nope, I just wanted to warn you that you're ex-husband had just pulled up outside and…" she stopped when the doorbell suddenly went off. "He's at the door.

"Kono stay here with the food and keep stirring it" Danni commanded as she hurried past the other woman and headed towards the front door. One thought going through her mind.

She had to beat Steve there.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part four will be up tomorrow!**


	5. Part Five

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles, Meka Hanamoa, Amy Hanamoa and Billy Hanamoa do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, Ryan Moore, Lily Nichols, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **There is two more chapters left after this one!**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **A meeting between strangers**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part Five

* * *

"I'm telling you now boss man, games on a cell phone is the way forward, everyone in the next few years is going to have them and I am so going to get ahead of the crowd with this one. I've already been developing a game as we speak… well Jack's been helping me but trust me when I say it's going to be good. We're going to dominate the market" Adam Charles, commonly better known as Toast said, an eager tone to his voice as he stared at Steve, gripping his can of coke tight enough in his grip that Steve was surprised it didn't break, spilling the contents all across Danni's carpet.

"Cell phone games huh" Steve repeated with a raise of an eyebrow, taking a long sip of his beer. He shook it when he lowered it from his mouth, making a mental note to get himself another one shortly. He felt happily tipsy, enjoying the chance to unwind with his team. It was difficult to get all members of the team together due to both Danni's and Jack O'Connor's commitments to their children. Anything they did manage to do had to be planned well in advance so they could make suitable arrangements but Steve could understand it, he might not have liked it, preferring to have Danni out and by his side, but he could understand it.

"That's what I said" Toast said with a roll of his eyes, glancing away from Steve. "You just don't get it boss man but Blondie will, where is she by the way? I've barely seen her since I got here, normally she's out here with the rest of us." He marked, sounding puzzled looking around him like he expected Danni to suddenly appear out of nowhere.

"She's in the kitchen cooking us dinner Toast so leave her be, she doesn't have time to be bothered by you and your money making scheme right now" Steve stated, his eyes narrowing slightly when Toast snorted.

"If she's been in there by herself for all this time then she's probably desperate for company and conversation with somebody. I bet Blondie will see the big picture and want to invest in my plan." He remarked brightly.

Steve opened his mouth to respond when he stopped, his eyes landing on Danni as she entered the living room, looking around at them all with a wide smile. She looked happy and flushed and completely in her element.

He shook his head, a smile coming to his face knowing that she was. Steve had never met anyone who was quite as family orientated than Danni was.

Once she let someone into her circle of friends, she never let them go, showering them in care and warmth in a way which Steve had never experienced before, especially not directed at someone like him.

People like Steve were never treated like Danni treated him. As though he was someone who was extremely important to her and who she liked being around. He was now in her circle and he was determined never to leave it and to keep her and Grace as safe as humanly possible, regardless of what the cost might be.

He opened his mouth to say something to her, stopping when she was followed into the room by an unfamiliar tall man who Steve hadn't seen before. His hair was short and dark while familiar looking dark eyes glanced around the room, they flickered past Steve, meeting his gaze briefly before they focused on Grace who was seated next to Poppy and Bella on the floor, a wide grin coming to the man's face when he spoke.

"Gracie Bean!"

Steve turned watching as Grace's head snapped up, her dark eyes widening before she scrambled to her feet with a happy squeal, running across the room and throwing herself into the man's waiting arms.

"Daddy, you're here! You made it! I knew you would" Grace shouted as she threw her arms around the man's neck, squeezing him tightly.

"Daddy?" Steve repeated, his heart sinking when he realised that the man in front of him must have been Duncan Taylor, the man who had been stupid enough to have Danni as his wife and somehow fuck it up enough for them to get divorced.

"Gracie I think you're cutting off your father's air supply" Danni remarked calmly, smiling when Grace giggled at the comment, loosening her grip on her father though Steve noticed that the small girl made no effort to get down. Danni had always remarked that Duncan was an excellent father to their daughter and that Grace adored him and he adored her back but there was something about seeing the evidence in front of him which felt like a slap in the face to Steve though he couldn't understand why.

A man as stupid as the one in front of him, certainly didn't deserve to have someone as wonderful as Grace adoring him. He certainly didn't deserve to have someone like his partner looking at him with a fond smile.

Steve moved forward without thinking, shaking of Toast's arm when the younger man tried to grab him to hold him back

He stopped in front of Duncan, silently cursing in his mind when he realised that Duncan was at least three inches taller than he was.

"Duncan right? I've been hoping to meet you for the quite the while now." Steve said, his eyes flickering to Danni as she suddenly turned to him, clearly picking up something in his tone if the concerned look which came to her eyes was any indication for him to go on.

"Steve" She said simply, an undertone of warning to her voice which Steve picked up on instantly.

"You must be Steve McGarrett" Duncan remarked, his tone polite. "Danni and Grace have told me all about you Commander, it's nice to finally meet you in person face to face."

"Nice is one word for it" Steve replied, opening his mouth to say more when Chin suddenly appeared at his side, pushing him towards the door way.

"Sorry Danni, we'll be back in a moment. There's something Steve and I need to discuss about work, I forgot to mention it to him earlier." Chin said with a warm smile at her before he pushed Steve out of the door and towards the room which Steve knew was Danni's study. He turned when Chin closed the door behind them, glaring at him.

"What do you think you're doing Chin?" He demanded, crossing his arms with a huff when Chin gave him an unimpressed look.

"What I am doing is saving you from making a big mistake which would be hard for you to come back to. Duncan is Danni's ex-husband and more importantly then that he is Grace's father, neither of them will stand back and allow you to insult that man beneath this roof. I mean if you want to undo all the work which you've been putting into building up a relationship with both Danni and Grace then be my guest but don't expect either of them to forgive you any time soon if you make a scene here."

Steve opened his mouth to retort when he stopped knowing that the other man was speaking the truth about how Danni and Grace would react.

"I wasn't going to make a scene I was just… surprised that he was here, that's all." He said, meeting Chin's eyes,

"Good" Chin said. "I'll leave you in here for a moment, take your time and come back into the living room when you're ready and can civil to the other man and try to remember that none of us actually know why Duncan and Danni divorced. He might not have actually done anything wrong." Chin pointed out before he turned leaving Steve staring after him, hundreds of thoughts going through his head.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part Six will be up tomorrow!**


	6. Part Six

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles, Meka Hanamoa, Amy Hanamoa and Billy Hanamoa do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, Ryan Moore, Lily Nichols, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **I now interrupt your usual McDanni schedule to bring you a Christmas story.**

 **Last chapter is tomorrow!**

 **Enjoy**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **Don't question her about it**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part Six

* * *

"You know, glaring at him isn't going to make him disappear any quicker Steve, the only thing it will accomplish is to give you a headache."

Steve blinked, turning away from the scene of Grace curled up against her father on the sofa, talking quietly to each other about something, and focused his attention on Jack. He found himself wondered when exactly the other man had arrived next to him, had he just come or had he been standing there for a while?

"I'm not glaring at him" Steve remarked steadily, placing his bottle down on the table surface, realising that perhaps he had drank a little too much that night. The last thing he wanted was to make an idiot of himself round Danni's house, especially since it was rare for the younger woman to open her doors up to them in the way she had done that evening.

Steve glanced around the room looking for his partner, frowning when he couldn't see her.

"Firstly you are glaring at him" Jack remarked, attracting Steve's attention again to him. "And what's more is that you're being pretty obvious about doing it. If Danni catches you then there will be hell to pay my friend,"

"Where is Danni exactly?" Steve demanded.

"Last time I saw her she was in the kitchen with Chin, Toast and Kono cleaning up after dinner." Jack informed him. "I offered to help them but they ushered me out, going on about how there were too many cooks already. They should be back pretty soon though. You're staying here tonight?" He questioned.

Steve tilted his head to the side, staring at Jack for a moment before his eyes flickered over to Grace.

"Yeah I am" Steve said with a nod. "I don't have a car to drive home and besides Danni may need help with something in the morning so it would be easier if I'm here to help her out." He explained, ignoring the sudden amused look which crossed Jack's handsome features.

"I'm sure she'll be very grateful for the help" Jack remarked sagely. "I'll have to head off soon and get Poppy and Bella to bed, from the look of them they are near the stage of collapsing and I still need to get everything sorted at home for tomorrow."

"Is it just you and the girls then for Christmas this year?" Steve asked him curiously. He and Jack had taken a while to warm to each other enough to be able to call each other a friend but now that they were Steve was glad. He liked the other man, finding his steady personality relaxing to be around, the fact that he had a wicked sense of humour was merely an added bonus in Steve's eyes.

"Me, the girls, my sister Tasha and my two nephews will be there" Jack corrected him. "Then my parents and my other sister and my brother are flying out to spend New Year's at mine so it's going to be a pretty busy one. What about you? Any plans yet?"

"I've got no plans yet but I know Grace is with her father because Danni has her for Christmas which means that Danni may spend it alone so I was going to see if she wanted to do something." Steve said, raising an eyebrow when Jack made a sound at the back of his throat.

"I think Danni said something about maybe going over to Meka Hanamoa's house for their annual New Year's Eve party. She did mention inviting you though so I'm guessing she's planning on bringing you as her plus one though don't quote me on that." Jack remarked. Steve smiled, the comment warming him before he focused back on Duncan as the other man came to his feet, adjusting Grace in his arms so she was more comfortable before he headed out of the door.

"You sat near Danni's ex at dinner, what did you make of him?" Steve asked.

Jack followed his gaze towards the door before he looked back at Steve.

"Honestly?" He questioned, an almost reluctant tone to his voice. Steve nodded at him, remaining quiet as he waited for the blond man to continue. "Honestly he seems like a nice guy, pretty entertaining and funny. I can understand why Danni liked him and why she still likes him as a friend even if they are no longer together."

"Did either of them say why they weren't together still?" Steve asked.

"No" Jack said, giving Steve a long look. "It's not exactly the type of conversation you have over a Christmas dinner when your daughter is sitting there. They have their reasons for splitting up Steve and when the time is right Danni will tell us what they are. Until then I suggest that none of us question her about it" He remarked pointedly.

Steve opened his mouth to retort when Jack's five year old daughter Bella came bounding up to him.

"Daddy" She said, reaching up and waiting until Jack leaned down and picked her up before she began talking again. "We need to get home so that we can get the stuff ready for when Santa visits tonight. We've got to leave him cookies and milk and the carrot for his reindeer" She remarked seriously, her pale blue eyes fixed on Jack in an earnest expression.

"That we do" Jack agreed solemnly. "We'll just go and round up your sister and then say goodbye to everyone." He told the small girl who nodded seriously at him before she turned and looked at Steve giving him a wide smile.

"Night Uncle Stevie" She said "Merry Christmas"

"Merry Christmas to you as well Bella bean" Steve replied, grinning when Bella giggled at the nickname he had given her.

"You're so silly Uncle Stevie" She stated, reaching out and patting his shoulder before she looked back at Jack who was watching her with a fond look. "Let's go Daddy" she said.

"Your wish is my command Princess" Jack said, moving towards the door before he stopped and looked at Steve "Remember what I said Steve, don't ask her, let her come to you when she's ready."

Steve searched the other man's eyes, sighing when he saw the look in them. Whenever that look was in Jack's eyes it meant that he meant business.

"Fine, I give you my word that I won't ask her why they split up" Steve promised. Jack nodded, looking satisfied by the answer before he turned and left the room leaving Steve alone.

Steve smiled to himself.

He had promised Jack that he wouldn't ask Danni about why she and Duncan split up but that didn't mean he couldn't ask her about other things which bothered him.

Like what she had seen in the other man in the first place since he was clearly an idiot.

He nodded, heading towards the door and the sound of voices and laughter.

One way or another he was going to get his answers.

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part four will be up tomorrow!**


	7. Part Seven

Operation Christmas

By

Landon Richardson

Official Disclaimer

 **The characters of Steve McGarrett, Chin Ho Kelly, Kono Kalakaua, Adam 'Toast' Charles, Meka Hanamoa, Amy Hanamoa and Billy Hanamoa do not belong to me in any shape or form. I am merely using them for my own entertainment purposes.**

 **The character of Danni Williams, although originally based on male Danny Williams, is probably enough her own individual character by now that she can be considered mine. This also means that Grace is different as well, for a start she is called Grace Taylor, as Williams is Danni's maiden name. Taylor was her married name.**

 **The characters of Duncan Taylor, Jack O'Connor, Poppy O'Connor, Bella O'Connor, Ryan Moore, Lily Nichols, Riona Harte and anyone else who you do not automatically recognise belong to me. Please do not use these characters without asking me first.**

Author Note

 **And here is the last chapter for you all.**

 **2017 is going to be all about my writing for me so please expect constant updates from me. My goal for 2017 is to finish every story I have started and to continue with the main saga by getting the next one shot for it up and beginning 'Respect the land' which is the next chapter story for it.**

 **I would like to thank each and every one of you who has read my work for doing so. It means a great deal to me. Thank you for taking the time to follow or favourite me or one of my stories and thank you for leaving a review or sending me a Personal message. It means the world to me.**

 **So here's to a fantastic new year to us all and here we are starting with a story being completed.**

 **Let's hope it continues.**

 **Anyway please enjoy!**

Official Summary

 **It's Danni and Grace's first Christmas in Hawaii and they are determine to make it special and to make sure that everyone enjoys it as much as they do. First step though is to kidnap Steve McGarrett while the second is to host the Ohana on Christmas Eve... What could possibly go wrong with the plan? (McDanni, female Danni, Part of the Danni Universe)**

Chapter Summary

 **Under the Christmas tree**

Official Romance

 **Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Chin Ho Kelly / Riona Harte (Harlly)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Chapter Romance

 **Hints of Steve McGarrett / Danni Williams (McDanni)**

 **Mentions of past Duncan Taylor / Danni Williams (Dunni)**

Other note

 **Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta for my work so please forgive me if the odd mistake creeps in.**

* * *

Part Seven

* * *

"Well I think it's safe to say that tonight was a serious success for you Danni. Everyone seemed to have a good time and Chin and Kono were already talking about doing this again next year." Steve said, keeping his tone soft as he leaned against the wall in the hallway, watching as Danni slowly closed the front door behind the last few stragglers.

It was already close to eleven o clock at night and he knew from previous talks with Danni that she had been hoping that everyone would have been gone by nine giving her chances to get everything which she wanted to get done finished. That plan had gone out the window because no one wanted to leave, the only reason why they had begun to go was because Steve had started making pointed comments about the time. If he had left it to Danni then they would never have left.

She turned and looked at him, giving him a tired smile before she spoke.

"I think it was as well though I'm not sure my house is big enough to host this next year if I decide to do it again." She admitted ruefully, looking around the place. Steve followed her gaze, wincing when he saw all the bottles and glasses which was littered on the table surface by the door. If it was like that in the hallway then it was pretty much guaranteed that it would be all around the house as well.

"We'll host it at my place next year" Steve told her, pushing himself off the wall and heading over to her, dropping his arm around her shoulder and gently guiding her towards the living room. Her movements were slow as she leaned against him, telling him without words that she was exhausted. "You should head to bed" He stated, looking down at her as she tilted her head up to look at him, giving him another smile which caused his heart to skip a beat as he tightened his arm around her.

"I will shortly but I still need to get all the presents out and beneath the tree before I go to bed. Gracie is a typical seven year old Steve, she will be up at the crack of dawn expecting presents to be ready for her. I can't let her down." She remarked, pushing herself away from him.

"I can help you with that" Steve offered. "With the two of us doing it, it will take half the time and no offence Danni but you look about ready to collapse."

Danni stared at him for a moment before she let out a startled laugh.

"Well thank you for that Steve, every woman wants to hear that they look ready to collapse" she remarked dryly with a shake of her head.

"You know I think you look beautiful Danni, you always do even looking tired and ready to collapse" Steve said quietly, meeting her eyes when they came up to look at him with a startled look.

"Oh, well erm, thank you Steve" She replied. Steve couldn't help the smile which came to his face as he watched her pale cheeks redden. For some reason any compliment he gave her always left her flustered. It was a trait he found adorable though he was careful never to say that particular word to the woman in front of him, knowing that she, for some reason, took the word adorable to be insulting.

"You're welcome" He stated before he looked around him at the room. "So where are the presents then? Are they in here somewhere?" He queried, looking back at Danni when she made an amused sound at the back of her throat.

"If I hid them in here Steve then Gracie would have found them within hours. Once she gets something into her mind she doesn't let go of it." Danni told him, rolling her eyes when he laughed.

"Sounds to me like the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree." He pointed out to her before he jabbed a finger in her direction. "You go and retrieve the presents from wherever it is that you've hidden them while I go to the kitchen, grab a bin bag and start throwing all of these bottles away."

"Sounds like a good plan to me" She agreed, moving past him towards the door. She reached out, gripping his hand for a moment and squeezed it before letting go and leaving without another word.

For a moment Steve stood there, his eyes closed, simply enjoying the fact that he was here with her before he forced himself to move into the kitchen which he was thankful to see was spotless. Grabbing a bin bag he opened it and headed back into the living room and began picking up the discarded bottles. There was less than he thought so by the time Danni staggered back in, almost completely hidden by presents of all shapes and sizes, he was finished.

He dropped the bag to the side and moved towards her quickly, grabbing the presents from her.

"Jesus Danni, did you leave anything in the shops?" He asked as he moved towards the tree placing the bundle next to it.

"One or two things maybe" Danni remarked, sounding amused as she looked around the room. "Thanks for clearing this up Steve, I appreciate it. There's one more stack of presents to come, it might be easier if you follow me and we can split it between the two of us." She suggested, smiling when he nodded at her. "Great, this way then hon"

Steve followed her, his eyebrow raising when he realised that Danni was leading him towards her bedroom, the one room in the house which Steve had never been in. He hesitated for a moment before he followed her in, automatically looking around him. It was a large room with a king sized bed in the middle of it. She had painted it white and purple. The air smelt sweet no doubt from the candles she had littered around the place. He looked at her as she headed over to the large wardrobe and stopped in front of him, shooting him a confused look as though she was wondering why he had stopped where he had.

Steve moved towards her, his eyebrow rising when he saw that there was another pile of presents which he bent down and picked up, ignoring Danni's sound of complaint as he turned and left the room heading back to the living room aware of Danni following him. The moment she closed the living room door behind them Steve spoke.

"Grace is certainly a lucky girl" He remarked as he placed the rest of the presents next to the ones which were already under the tree.

"Not all of them are for Grace" Danni told him as she lowered herself to the floor, patting the space next to her to indicate for him to join her. He did, looking towards her as she continued speaking. "Some of these are from other people as well. My parents and my brothers and sister have sent their gifts to us for example since they couldn't get over here for Christmas." She explained.

"Are you going over there to see them any time soon?" Steve asked curiously. He knew that Danni came from a large family but he wasn't sure how many siblings she had or what her parents did for a job. The topic was a surprisingly private. The only thing which Steve knew for definitely was that Danni had an older sister called Caitlin, that she was twin and that she was somewhere in the middle of the pack. How big that pack was Steve didn't know. He could have found out easily enough but he wanted to learn the facts from Danni herself, not from a piece of paper.

"No" Danni said attracting his attention away from his thoughts. "But they are all flying out here to spend Easter with me and Grace so that should be something. I'll see my twin before then though, he's flying out next week with his baby daughter to spend time with us."

"That be good for you, it must be hard to be away from your twin and the rest of your family." Steve remarked. Danni nodded slowly.

"You have no idea" She said lowly before she picked up the first present and looked at the tag, placing it in a certain position under the tree.

"I'm assuming Duncan's presents are here in the pile as well since you have Gracie for Christmas?" Steve asked, breaking the silence. She shot him a quick thoughtful look before she shook her head.

"Duncan is popping round tomorrow afternoon for an hour or so to spend time with Grace and to give her his presents. He won't have her until New Year's Eve which is too late to give presents to a kid." Danni explained.

Steve stared at her for a moment, his heart sinking at her words.

"Lucky Duncan" He remarked lightly. "I guess I was wrong when I said that your marriage ended badly, clearly the two of you get on and still love each other." He commented.

Danni remained silent for a moment before she placed the present she had been holding on the ground in front of her and turned to look at him fully.

"I'll always care and love him Steve, he's the father of my daughter, we'll always have that bond but if you're asking me whether I'm still in love with him like I once was then the answer is no. Duncan and I have always gotten on well, if we hadn't then I wouldn't have married him. That hasn't changed just because we're divorced. We both agreed that we would remain friends for Grace's sake because her well-being was the most important thing to us both. Me refusing to let Grace see her father on Christmas day would be a bitchy move and pointless, not to mention the fact it would upset Grace."

"If you've got such a great relationship still then why did you even divorce? I mean how long have you even been divorced?" Steve demanded, automatically wishing he could take the words back when he saw the thoughtful look which came over her features. The same thoughtful look which after three months in each other's presence, he still couldn't read.

"You and I are close Steve and I care for you a great deal but there are certain parts of me that I'm not ready to share with anyone, not even you. When I'm ready then I promise you'll be one of the first people I tell but until then I would appreciate it if you didn't ask me personal questions like that, the same way I don't ask you questions like that."

Steve stared at her for a moment before he nodded.

"Okay Danni" He agreed reluctantly, reaching out and wrapping his hand round the back of her neck before she could look away from him. "I only ask because I care for you as well Danni, I don't want you to… to be hurt or upset." He admitted, stumbling slightly over his words.

"I know you do Steve and that's why I haven't given you the verbal lashing that anyone else would have received." She told him, her mouth curling into a smile. "I may not have wanted to move to Hawaii but you and the others have made me glad I did."

"I'm glad you did as well Danni" He said, his thumb stroking against the soft skin beneath it. For a moment they stared at each other before Danni looked away.

"If we don't get these presents done then we won't get any sleep and trust me when I say that we will both need it tomorrow. You haven't dealt with a hyper Grace yet but you will tomorrow and trust me when I say you won't know what hit you." She said with a laugh.

Steve dropped his hand and nodded at her, a wide grin coming round to his face as he looked around the decorated room before focusing on Danni.

"I can hardly wait."

* * *

Author Note

 **Thanks for taking the time to read.**

 **An especially large thank you if you took the time to leave me a review, follow the story or make it a favourite.**

 **Part four will be up tomorrow!**


End file.
